Repeated winner of National Musical Award "Ovatsia" (1992 - "Album of the Year" ("Dolphin and Mermaid"), 1995, - "Composer of the Year", 1997 - "Poet of the Year", 1999 - "Composer of the Year", 2001 ãîä - "Duet of the Year")
Repeated winner of the TV Festival "Song of a Year", winner of the Isaak Dunayevsky Prize for great contribution in song art development (1999), "The Best Composer of the Year" (2002)
Nominee of the Star Prize in nomination "Composer of the year" (1995)
Winner of the prize "The Golden Gramophone 2001" (song "Five Reasons")

Igor Yurievich Nikolaev was born in the town of Kholmsk (island of Sakhalin) on January 17, 1960, to the family of poet Yury Nikolayev.

In the year of 1974, Igor Nikolaev graduates from the violin classes of the Musical school and enters the Sakhalin Musical college, department of musical theory.

In 1975, Igor Nikolaev leaves Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk for Moscow, where he continues his education in the Musical college at the Chaikovsky Conservatory.

In 1978, a daughter Julia was born to the family of Igor Nikolayev and his wife Elena.

Starting from 1980, Igor Nikolaev performs as a keyboard player and arranger with the ensemble of Alla Pugatcheva “Recital”. Igor Nikolaev finishes his education at the Moscow Institute of Culture in 1980 (Variety Art Department, the classes of composer Igor Bryl).

In the year of 1983, Alla Pugacheva performs the first songs that were written for her by Igor Nikolaev, Iceberg and Speak Birds.

In 1985, at the TV Festival The song of a year, new songs by Igor Nikolaev, The Ferryman and Komarovo were performed for the first time by Alla Pugatcheva and Igor Skliar, respectively.

The song Mill was the beginning of Igor Nikolayev’s solo performances in 1986. Then, the album by Alla Pugatcheva, Be Happy in Your Privat Life, is published.

Igor Nikolayev publishes his first solo-album, Mill, in 1987. He and Alla Pugatcheva start for their tour in Japan, invited by the Japanese star Tokiko Kato who performs in Japanese Igor Nikolayev’s song 100 Friends.

In 1988, Igor Nikolaev performs his song The Kingdom of Carnival Mirrors at the closing gala concert of the TV festival The Song of the Year. Its authors, Igor Nikolayev and Pavel Zhagun, are awarded with honour diplomas of the festival. Besides, in Sweden, Igor Nikolaev together with the rock duet Roxette conducts the final ceremony of the Swedish national music award Grammis.

Igor Nikolaev among other Russian composers takes part in a Russian-American project in 1989. Within the framework of the project, the American star Cindy Lauper visits Soviet Union and records with Igor Nikolaev a song, Cold Sky. Later on, the song id published within a record Music speaks louder than words on EPIC RECORDS. Igor Nikolaev takes part in Jacob Dalin’s TV show, Jacob’s Ladder at the Stockholm television. Igor Nicolaev records a duo with Liz Nilson AQUARIUS 1999 (in co-authorship with À. Forsman, Sweden). Eventually, the song is included in Igor Nikolaev’s record Fantasy and is issued as a single in Sweden. In Sweden, Igor Nikolaev’s single THE KINGDOM OF THE CARNIVAL MIRRORS and Tommi Korberg’s single JULEN AR HAR on a music written by Igor Nikolaev are issued. The latter makes a golden one. During GLOBE ARENAS in Stockholm, WORLD YOUTH CHOIR (UNESCO) performs the cantata on music by Igor Nikolaev and Benni Abderson (ABBA). He issues his albums The Kingdom of Carnival Mirrors and Fantasy, as well.

In the year of 1990, a debut album by Natalia Koroleva, Yellow Tulips, is issued which started a long-term creative cooperation of the artists.

Miss Separation album is published in 1991.

On March 5,6,7, 1992, the opening show of a joint project by Igor Nikolaev and Natalia Koroleva Dolphin and Mermaid, is carried out in the sporting complex Olympiysky. The record Dolphin and Mermaid is subsequently issued. In November of 1992, the Sporting Complex Olympiysky gives stage for the opening show of Irina Allegrova, Don’t Flay Away My Love, that is mostly composed of Igor Nikolaev’s songs. The album My Pilgrim by Irina Allegrova is eventually published. Igor Nikolaev is awarded with National Musical Prize Ovatsia as The Album of the Year (Dolphin and Mermaid).

Igor Nikolaev’s album Raspberry Wine and Natalia Koroleva’s The Admirer are published in 1994.
In 1995, Igor Nikolaev is awarded with National Musical Prize Ovatsia in nomination Composer of the Year and nominated for Prize Star-95 as Composer of the Year, too. He starts collaboration with a beginner singer Olga Priadina and composes for songs The Canary and Telegram. His album Let Us Drink to Love and Natalia Koroleva’s record Confetti are published.

In 1996, Igor Nikolaev takes part in the campaign Vote or Loose to support the pre-election campaign of President Boris Eltsin.

In 1997, Igor Nikolaev and Natalia Koroleva perform a premier of their program Dolphin and Mermaid in Madison Square Garden, New York. Diana Gurtskaya takes part in it with Igor Nikolayev’s song Wander Glass. Igor Nikolaev is awarded with National Musical Prize Ovatsia as Poet of the Year for his song devoted to the memory of his father. His album Fifteen Years. The Best and Natalia Koroleva’s Diamonds of Tears are published.

On his birthday in 1998, Igor Nikolayev for the first time conducts his recital in the State Central Concert Hall Russia that is an overwhelming success and becomes one of the major events of the year. His album Igor Nikolaev- 98 issued then, is based on the songs performed at the concert. Igor Nikolaev acts as a producer of Natalia Koroleva’s concert at the central square of Kiev on May 31, the 25th birthday of the performer. In the year of 1999, SCCH Russia gives a stage for a solo-concert by Natalia Koroleva. Igor Nikolaev again acts as the producer of the show and the author of the songs. He is awarded with Ovatsia Prize as Composer of the Year. At the TV festival The Song of the Year, Igor Nikolaev wins the Isaac Dunayevsky Prize for his great contribution in the development of national song-writing.

His album The Broken Cup of Love is issued in 2000.

Igor Nikolaev is entitled with the title of Honoured Worker of Arts in accordance with President Vladimir Putin’s Decree of October 11, 2001. Igor Nikolaev and Diana Gurtskaya are awarded with National Musical prize Ovatsia as Duet of the Year. Besides, he becomes a winner of the prize Golden Gramophone-2001 for his song Five Reasons. His new album My Most Beloved is issued the same year.

In 2002, Forgive and Let Go is published. Igor Nikolayev is awarded wit the prize The Best Composer of the Year at the TV festival The Song of the Year.

On March, 1 and 2, 2003, Igor Nikolaev conducts his new recitals called Million of Beautiful Women in the Kremlin Palace of Congresses where the major performers of the Russian stage take part.

Two albums are released: The Best for You and Five Reasons, as well as an amateur disk On the Magazine’s Cover with the lyrics by Pavel Zhagun.

In 2004 Igor Nikolaev took part in a TV project ORT Fabrika Zvyezd – 4 as a pedagogue, and became a producer of one of the project’s participants – young artist Anton Zacepin. Several reporting concerts went on the air, where the participants were singing new and well-known songs by Igor Nikolaev.

In 2005 Igor Nikolaev wrote a song You Are So Beautiful and invited tennis celebrity Irina Dementieva for the clip shooting. He had been watching her sports career for a long time.

In 2006 Igor Nikolaev was bestowed with the order of merit for the country – the Golden Order Serving the Art and became the Knight of the Order of Peter the Great. TV channel ORT aired the project with the title of the song by Igor Nikolaev Two Stars, and the author of the legendary song became greatly involved in it.

Igor Nikolaev and Natasha Koroleva performed on a concert Legends of Retro-FM with their songs The Dolphin and the Mermaid and Taxi, Taxi. At the end of the year the new album You Are So Beautiful was released.

In the beginning of the year 2007 a concert with the new program took place in the New York Millennium Theatre.

On the 8 of September a solemn ceremony of delivery of the Order of Peace took place in the Hall of Church Cathedrals of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. Igor Nikolaev was amongst those notable people, whose Personal Stars were open in the parkway.

In 2008 the disk Igor Nikolaev: Favorite Collection mp3 was released.

Igor Nikolaev was bestowed with the Silver Order of Childhood. That year Igor Nikolaev fulfilled his life-long dream – he wrote a theme tune for the full-length Hollywood movie Say It in Russian. The picture took 11 awards at the international film festivals. Igor Nikolaev presented the movie at the Film Festivals in Monaco and Monte-Carlo with the Russian actress Agata Gotova and the Serbian actor Rade Serbedzija, who played the leading roles in the picture.

In summer within the framework of the contest New Wave in Yurmala an evening with Igor Nikolaev took place, where the best and new songs of maestro were presented by Alla Pugacheva, Philipp Kirkorov, Valery Leontiev, Valery Meladze, Julio Iglesias Junior, Nikolay Baskov, Igor Krutoy, Natasha Koroleva, and others. At this concert a young singer Yulia Proskuryakova was introduced to the wide audience, she performed a song There Is Something in It in duet with Igor Nikolaev.

In December the program Let Them Say came on the air on ORT, where Yulia was introduced to the audience as the fiancée of Igor Nikolaev.

In the beginning of the year 2009 Igor Nikolaev went on tour to the USA with Yulia Proskuryakova and Julio Iglesias Jr.

In April the collection Gift Edition: Igor Nikolaev was released, it contained 13 albums by the greatest composer, poet and singer of modern age recorded in years 1986-2006.

On the 17 January 2010 Igor Nikolaev commemorated his 50 years jubilee first in Moscow and then in Miami . On this day all the news of the main channels reported about Igor Nikolaev. ORT channel showed a documentary To Fall in Love with a Person about a provincial youngster Igor Nikolaev, who had risen “from performances at the restaurants to the best stages of the country and the main channels.” Igor Nikolaev received greetings from the President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev, the President of Belarus Aleksander Lukashenko, and the Governor of the Sakhalin Region Aleksander Horoshavin.

On the 25th of September the wedding of Igor Nikolaev and a young singer Julia Proskuryakova took place. The wedding reception was held in a new entertainment center Vegas, there were 250 guests who came to congratulate the couple, among them were Alla Pugacheva and Maksim Galkin, Andrey Malahov, Anastasia Volochkova, Dmitriy Kharatiyan, Diana Gurtskaya , Kristina Orbakaite, Igor Krutoy, Vladimir Presnyakov with Natalia Podolskaya and other celebrities. The welcome guests were the bride and groom’s parents and Igor Nikolaev’s daughter, Julia, who came from the US especially for the occasion. As mass media announce Igor Nickilaev and Julia Proskuryakova’s wedding became the best wedding of 2010.

At the beginning of 2010 Igor Nikolaev and Julia Proskuryakova got the prize “Couple of 2010”, having won in the category “Love”.

On the 5th of February of 2011 Igor Nickolaev was a central figure of a Channel 1TV program “Achievement of the Republic”. On the 27th of February Channel “Russia” conducted the shot of the TV program called “Igor Nikolaev’s big family”.

On the 3rd of March Igor Nikolaev and Julia Proskuryakova’s concert “One hope for love” was a sell-out in the State Grand Palace. The couple’s guests were: Leonid Agutin with Angelica Varum, Vladimir Presnyakov with Natalia Podolskaya, Igor Krutoy, Irina Alegrova, Philip Kirkorov, Nickolay Baskov and Oksana Fyodorova.

From the 6th to the 10th of September international festival “Crimea Music Fest” takes place in Yalta. Igor Nikolaev and Julia Proskuryakova were the guests of the fest.

On the 21st of September 2011 high-profile awarding ceremony of International Prize “Honor” took place in the State Grand Palace. Igor Nikolaev got a special prize for professional achievements and noticeable contribution to branding of Russia at international level. On the 17th of October Igor Nikolaev took place in an International charitable festival “White walking stick. Without bounds”.

On the 11th of November the prize-giving ceremony “Couple of the year”( according to “Moda Topical” magazine) was conducted. Julia Proskuryakova and Igor Nikolaev were awarded the prize called “Family and artistic union”.

On the 26th of April the evening with Igor Nikolaev was held within the project “Factor A”, where the contestants performed with the maitre’s songs. On the 17th of May Aleksey Sulima won the first prize, Igor Nikolaev was his mentor. Thus, Igor Nikolaev became the winner among the mentors in the second season of the project “Factor A”!
In May the shot of the clip of the famous movie and theatre actor Sergey Shakurov was conducted at Gorkiy’s Film Studio, the actor performed with Igor Nikolaev’s song “Fascinates”. Igor Nikolaev took part in the shot, he was accompanying the glorious actor.

In June Igor Nikolaev participated in an anniversary evening with the poet Robert Rozhdestvensky “I wish you”, where he sang the song “We are in harmony with each other”, that has Robert Rozhdestvensky’s verses.

On the 29th of November the prize-giving ceremony “Couple of the year” according to “Moda Topical” magazine was held. Igor Nikolaev and Julia Proskuryakova got a prize in the category “Swan fidelity”.

At the beginning of 2103 Igor Nikolaev takes part in a musical contest “Factor A -3” as a member of the jury and a mentor for the contestants older than 25. His mentee – singer Mali – takes the first prize. In December Igor Nikolaev and Mali perform a duet at the state reception of President of Russian Federation devoted to 2014 New Year celebration .

During the year Igor Nikolaev writes new songs for himself – “Exception to the rule”, “Best of the best”, “Last spring” (music), and for such singers as Philip Kirkorov "Sweetie pie” (lyrics), Any Lorak “Seeing a dream” (lyrics), Julia Proskuryakova “How could I do it”, Julia Nikolaeva “Island Yury” (music). He keeps
guesting.

The musician puts a lot of time into his career in the cinema as a composer. He and his daughter Julia become the authors of all the songs that sounded in a four-episode melodrama “Small-town muse” where Julia Proskuryakova played the leading part. A soundtrack “Sweetie pie” for the film “Love and the big city – 3” appears in cooperation with Igor Krutoy.
In September Igor Nikolaev takes part in the record of the State Anthem of Russian
Federation.

Before the New Year the composer and the singer is invited to Minsk to evaluate contestants’ performances within a musical contest “I sing”. During the concert young talents are sinning songs written by Igor
Nikolaev.

In 2014 the song “Olympic waltz” written by Igor Nikolaev (lyrics) and Igor Krutoy (music) becomes a hymn of 2014 Olympic Games. The tune is performed by an opera singer Hibla Gerzmava together with Children Choir of Russia and the orchestra conducted by Valery
Gergiev.

Together with singers from different countries Igor Nikolaev supports a charity project “We hear your voice’ aimed to help children: the singer takes part in the song record and attends the official single presentation in
Los-Angeles.

Igor Nikolaev writes music for a film “The queen of the game” produced by “Duet” film company.